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The Head of Mission, Syria embassy in Nigeria, Dr.
Shafik Daiyob has said that the Nigerian supporters of the
Islamic State of Syria and Iraq terrorist group obtained
visas to join the group in Syria from the Turkish embassy
in Nigeria.
Daiyob explained that many ISIS sympathisers who were
given visas by the Turkish embassy entered Syria illegally
through Turkey.
The envoy who spoke through an interpreter said this in an
interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.
The son of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria had obtained
Turkish visa and crossed the Turkish border to join ISIS
in Syria along with his family in February, 2015. Nothing
has been heard about the ISIS sympathiser till date.
But the Turkish embassy said it won’t respond to the
accusation until it is published.
The Secretary/ Personal Assistant to the Turkish
ambassador, Wunmi Ayantade, told our correspondent on
the telephone that the ambassador said he would react only
when he sees the published report of the accusations against
his mission.
She said, “I have conveyed your request for reaction to the
ambassador, but he said he would not react until he sees the
published report (of the Syrian accusations) in the papers.”
Daiyob stated that a large part of the 920 km border
between Syria and Turkey is controlled by ISIS,
terrorists, noting that terrorists’ infiltration into Syria was
facilitated by the Turkish government.
He said, “I am not accusing Turkey, but the Turkish
officials have announced that and their utterances are quite
clear on this and most countries in the world know this
fact. Even United States has mounted pressure on Turkey
to stop facilitation of terrorist organisations into Syria, it
is not a secret, it’s well known all over the world.”
“Most of these ISIS sympathisers were from Nigeria,
they were given the Turkish visas here in Nigeria, they are
given visas to Turkey not Syria. Those who applied to our
embassy are not ISIS sympathisers and they don’t share
that ideology. Even those Nigerian supporters of ISIS
that were published in the papers reached Syria through
Turkey.”
When asked to explain how he knew that visa applicants to
Syria were not terror suspects and that Turkey was
facilitating movement of suspected terrorists to Syria,
Daiyob said his mission was experienced in the matter.
“For Nigerians, they are required to state why they are
going to Syria, their sponsor, introduction letter from the
government or private company the applicant is working
with, information about where the person would stay in
Syria and so on. The information would be sent to
Damascus for approval before the visa is issued. This
process doesn’t take more than two weeks,” the head of
mission narrated.
According to him, majority of the terrorists in Syria
entered the country through Turkey and Jordan by air, sea
or land, stressing that Turkey is a crossing point for the
insurgents.
He said, “Turkish/Syrian border is about 920 km and a
large part of the border is under the control of terrorists
supported by the Turkish government with support and
facilitation from the Turkish government. That was how
Turkey became a crossing point for majority of terrorists
who come from all over the world.”
Asked if the embassy’s visa process is foolproof, the envoy
hinted that it could be breached, “but till now, we have not
received such case or breach.”
He expressed the support of his country to Nigeria,
stressing that the two countries needed to collaborate to
fight the security challenges facing them.
According to him, Syria has wide experience in fighting
insurgency, which he said Nigeria could benefit from.
The Pakistani Ambassador to Nigeria, Lt. Gen. Agha
Farooq (retd.) noted that Nigeria was a victim of Boko
Haram and not the source of the insurgency, noting that
Pakistan was also a victim and not the source of terrorism.
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